What to look for when choosing a babysitter
Before I left Baby Girl with Grandpa P and Grandma N for a few hours in April while I was at a wedding reception next door, I made sure they both knew what to do in the event Baby Girl were to choke on her food while I was away. It didn’t matter that Baby Girl was having puree for supper. It was best to be on the safe side.
It can be difficult to leave a baby with someone else, but it’s much easier if you know they are in good hands. Anna Cameron, founder of London babysitting company Babysitters of Kensington & Chelsea (BOKAC), shares her top tips on what to look for in a babysitter:
1. EXPERIENCE – Experience is key. At BOKAC, we look for sitters who not only have extensive babysitting experience (More than five years with children at a variety of different ages), but also have additional childcare experience. This can come in the form of academic, sports, music or arts tuition, primary or secondary school teaching or full-time nannying experience. This ensures our babysitters are highly capable of sole charge care and can comfortably interact with children.
2. LOCATION – When you need a last-minute babysitter–and you can’t underestimate how often this happens or how urgent it is when you do–then you don’t want a sitter who lives an hour away from you. This is also practical in terms of the babysitter travelling to and from their appointment with you.
3. BACK UP – You will know almost instantly whether you feel a sitter will be right for you, but it’s important to back up your instincts with references. Babysitters should always be able to provide a reference from a family they have babysat for recently. As part of our registration process, we request references from someone each babysitter currently or has recently babysat for and someone they are currently or have recently been employed with.
Related Posts
3 children’s afternoon teas in London →
3 family Easter events at London’s Fortnum & Mason →
Review: Visiting Meet Vincent van Gogh in London with kids →
Pingback: How to find a babysitter in London
Choosing a babysitter can be difficult. With all of the babysitters out there, it can seem like an overwhelming task to try and narrow down the pool until you find that one, perfect caregiver.
So what makes a great babysitter?
It is important, for the sake of consistency for your children, that your babysitter be able to commit to your family for at least a year from the interview date. Within that year, there may be dates on which you need a babysitter and she is not be available: however, she ideally will be able to be your babysitter most of the times you are in need…
http://tinyurl.com/29fz255